I just smoked the last cig in my last open pack, switched to e-cigs - ask me anything.

I just smoked the last cig in my last open pack. I've been smoking marlboro 100s for about 25 years, and my SO had smoked capri and merit and a few other brands for about the same time. We have tried quitting numerous times, and were able to hack it for almost a year, on our best try.

Between wanting to breath better and wanting to be healthier in general, and the cost of smoking, we decided to switch to e-cigs for better or for worse. We calculate that financially, it will cut the cost of smoking in half, or slightly better.

We tried mystic brand - the junk ones sold at walmart various convenience stores and smoke shops, and we both came to the same conclucion as the various reviews on them, that they were terrible.

After much research we settled on giving halo brand g6 model e-cigs a try.

Literally 40 minutes ago, I smoked my last "analog" cig in my past open pack, and I've been vaping on the halo on and off since then.

59. That was my experience, too.

I had zero cravings or withdrawal symptoms of any kind. I couldn't believe it, either, but it really happened that way.

However, a couple of weeks into it, my sense of taste changed. The particular tobacco flavor I liked very well at first didn't taste so good anymore. There are some e-liquid suppliers that sell trial sizes for a very low price. That's a good way to try a lot of flavors without spending a bunch of money.

81. We got a sampler, semi-anticipating a change...

One thing we made a point of doing, was getting a sampler pack of small bottles of various flavors.

Based on reading the experiences of others, we thought it would be a good idea to have alternatives on hand in case we began to dislike our current choice.

I'm looking forward to trying out some non-tobacco flavors some time down the road. I'm really not a drinker, and not terribly big on sweets or chocolate, but if i could find a flavor that tasted like bacon or turkey or steak, I bet I'd never put it down rofl.

Meat and potatoes guy here

Speaking of that, after dinner is going to be the real test, I think. It was always the hardest time when we were out of cigs and during the short time we had quit before.

87. One of my favorite flavors is Amaretto.

I'm not a drinker either, because I'm allergic - I break out in hives if I drink alcoholic beverages! I do appreciate my Amaretto vape. I'll be thrilled if someone comes up with a good beer flavor.

Many of the coffee flavors are good, but some are just way too bitter for me. Vaping coffee after dinner is perfect. If you need to, you can sweeten your liquid at home with a little Stevia extract, by the way. Lots of people like the various fruit flavors, but I don't like them very much. There's just no telling what you'll like until you try them.

132. If you're willing to learn to mix your own, bacon and roast beef are both available.

Mixing your own liquid is not hard (if you can use a dropper, you're good). The initial outlay is not too expensive, and it ends up being cheaper in the long run (also, more convenient -- less junk to haul around).

I don't like them (I'm very much a floral flavor vaper) but other people do.

I've been mixing for most of the time I've vaped, and wouldn't go back to pre-mix for love or money.

104. I'm also doing the e-cig thing. Yesterday a medical provider gave me that same pollyanna talk

'If you really, really want to stop like I did, you will just stop'
I asked her how she did it. 'I wanted to stop, for my health!'
No, I asked, not 'why' but 'how'...did you DO anything to get past the rough part?
'It is about your desire, that's it. Oh, and I ate candy from a huge bag I carried with me at all times.'
Did you gain weight"
'5lbs'
So 'how you stopped' was by eating a ton of candy as a replacement?
'I guess so. But you really have to want it too'
Uh huh.

16. Yes, very similar.

There is vapor on exhale, but no smoke, and no smell, or aroma.

We did many hours of reading, after failing miserably with the mystic brand (they review terrible), and settled on a few flavors that were reviewed as "very close to analog", and so far, we're really impressed.

18. Congrats and Good Luck...

I was a 2 plus pack a day smoker for over 30 years and switched to an E-cig nearly two years ago. I haven't smoked a cig since...and have no desire. I am down to the lowest level of nicotine and feel a lot better. Not only that my family and friends have been extremely supportive. My daughter would never allow me near my grandchild if I still smelled like a smokehouse...she has no problem with my e-cig. There's no smell to annoy and with the right system you can puff away like you've always enjoyed.

You made a very good move...now stick with it! E cigs have made a very positive difference in my life...

24. You zeroed in on exactly what we hope for.

Making a positive difference in our lives.

During the short time we quit, we slept better, breathed better, and food tasted and smelled better.

We have no kids at home, but we have a pack of pomeranians and american eskimo dogs, and we know the smoke from the cigs isn't good for them, which has been a source of daily guilt for a very long time.

20. Why are you bothering with the E-cigs?

You don't need them you know. You don't need gum or patches or any of that horseshit. Those are things "they" tell you you need because quitting is just sooooooo hard. It's just another way to take money from you that you don't have to spend. The secondary smoking market is growing bigger every day.

The big secret is that it isn't hard, that it's nothing. And they don't want people to know that. All you have to do is do it.

I quit on memorial day after thirty years and I was dissapointed that it wasn't the life and death, battle of all battles that I had heard so much about. There was no withdrawal, no irritability, no weight gain, no jonesing, nothing. It was as easy as I always said it would be. And I didn't even want to quit. I had to because it's too frigging expensive and I've been out of work forever. It seemed crazy to be spending a hundred bucks a week on smokes when unemployment only gives you five.

Congrats on dropping the cigarettes, it's a good thing. Now go ahead and drop the other stuff too, you really don't need it. The "addiction" is all mental, just like with everything outside of opiates.

29. What may be true for you..

... isn't necessarily true for anyone else. For some of us, quitting those gawdamn things is the hardest thing we have ever tried to do. Been free of them for 7 years now and just how difficult it WAS for me to finally quit, is my chief incentive to never start back up again. And no MrSlayer, the nicotine addiction is NOT "all mental," it a chemically induced addition according to actual real medicos and scientists, you know, people who spend 8-10 years in Universities and Colleges and get those funny letters like, MD and PHD behind their names.

63. That's fine.

Maybe I just have willpower, maybe I don't have an addictive personality or maybe I just don't believe things that aren't true no matter how much people want to convince me they are.

I always maintained that I smoked because I wanted to and that was true. I quit even though I really didn't want to for financial reasons and it was nothing. And if I decide to smoke again it will be because I want to and not for any other reason. Though it seems less likely that I ever will because there's no real point to it.

People should really take into account that they have absolute control over their actions. Don't believe the hype, you can walk away from anything you want. You're only as addicted as you want to be.

128. and what makes you think your experience in everyones experience?

You actually sound like an alcoholic. One of the most common alcoholic statements, "oh, I can quit anytime I want. It's nothing." and yet they can't.

Glad you have the genetic disposition that allows you to stop smoking easily, but your physical and genetic makeup is not everyone's. I have absolute pitch. Does that mean I can say, "hey, If you want to hear and name exact pitches or hear music in color you can, you've just been told you can't." that would be ridiculous because that's how I was born. Do you hear in color? Can you hear a cluster of notes and name the pitches? Maybe, maybe not.

130. They are.

I dont have perfect pitch but I have pretty good pitch. My son has near perfect. He can tell you the key and scale of nearly any chord you throw at him. I do hear in color, I get that.

And I'm not saying people aren't different, obviously they are. But at the same time just because a person out of the ordinary has a real addictive personality doesn't mean it's the norm for everyone. I think much of the addicted mentality is manufactured. Most people could have my experience, they just don't know it.

64. That's the only reason I find acceptable.

50. It's different for different people.

Some are not addicted physically, and some are.

Some smokers go through a physical withdrawal that includes symptoms very much like a case of flu, not to mention the cravings. Some people quit easily. Some actually get so nauseous they vomit.
http://www.addictionrecov.org/Addictions/?AID=44

Your experience is not everyone's experience - but I agree that everyone should try quitting cold turkey - they might be one of the luckier ones.

134. I found it very hard to quit until I adjusted my attitude.

If you tell yourself quitting is going to be horrible, it probably will. A positive attitude can go a long way. I was finally successful after many tries when I used a combination of methods that included affirmations. Even though I didn't believe any of it at first, I just kept telling myself "I'm a non-smoker", "I love to be able to breathe clearly", "I have no desire for a cigarette" and so on. I know some may find this silly, but it worked wonders for me. (15 years a non-smoker now) But I say people should try whatever they believe might work for them. At least it's better for their health if they can switch to e-cigs.

88. I recommend e cigarette forum for a ton of great info on what is a good device and many

wonderful fellow vapers. I too bought from Altsmoke in the past and they are great. Anything that keeps you not smoking is a good thing. That forum can lead you to the best vendors and not rip off stuff like what they sell in the mall.

124. Yea, I've lurked there quite a bit.

121. Another recommendation for altsmoke here.

Rob is the best. I was one of his first customers when he started in the business, and now he has a complete brick and mortar operation. I am THRILLED to see him doing so well. He never smoked, but saw the opportunity when his mom quit and built a business out of it several years back.

39. I never found a good tobacco flavor...

I tried several and they all tasted strange - like an unlit cigarette, but nothing ever had the smoke flavor. However, I ended up experimenting with flavors and found I liked using the non-tobacco flavors even more - I used a mint bubblegum and licorice juices that I enjoyed immensely.
I was able to go from a pack of little cigars every two days to no-nic juice on the e-cig within six months. That was 18 months ago. Haven't used it at all since July.

41. Sure.

Yes, these are the ones that let you refill them yourself, and the cartomizers (cartridges) have an anti-burn technology to allow for more refills before theyre burned out, and you are correct, they use a USB chrager.

I would urge anyone looking to make the change to really research it before you commit to any particular brand, because there are a lot of factors to consider.

Whatever you do, stay away from "mystic" brand, they're terrible. They taste terrible, review terrible, and they're not designed to be refilled.

Many of the brands you'll see reviewed on the e-cig forum I linked to above, have flavors you wouldn't believe existed - I've seen raspberry, pizza, popcorn, french toast, pretty much if its something you eat, someone somewhere makes the e-juice in that flavor.

61. I started out

with a Joyetech E-Go T system. I liked the idea of having a "tank" that you could easily refill with e-liquid, plus it holds a huge amount of liquid--I was paranoid about running out when I first started. After using that for a while, I started to have problems with juice leakage around the gasket on the tank, and also if you didn't really clean the wick up, you got a very unpleasant taste--so I switched over to a SmokTech dual coil cartomizer for the E-go battery (the E-go is a style 510 battery) and I have been very happy since then. I try to buy "relatively" local--so I get all of my stuff from Awesome Vapor in Cumming, GA. The folks there are great, they make up their own juices, they will send samples with your order, and if you stop by their shop--they let you try out stuff.

When I started out, I only wanted "tobacco" flavored e-liquid, but as my taste buds returned, I've switched over to other flavors--my current favorite is the Awesome Vapor Watermelon--but, as you will find out, what one person loves--another person may hate!

The E-go's use a USB charger, and you can get a version of the battery that has what's called a "passthrough" so you can plug it into any USB port and continue to vape while it is charging.

36. Try Green Smoke

I have used e-cigs for close to 2 years and never thought about going back to regular cigarettes since day one. I smoked menthol cigarettes for 20 years but now enjoy the vanilla flavor of Green Smoke brand more than their menthol flavor. Give them a try, I think you will be pleased. You will find your breathing will continue to improve in the coming weeks and months. Stick with it.

45. Based on my limited experience with them...

We used the mystic brand sold at walmart, and convenience stores for a short time, and the difference between it, and halo with halos joice is night and day.

The mystic did not really do much for the cravings unless you really hit it hard and repeatedly, and they taste terrible.

With what I have now, I hit it once or twice, and set it down, like setting a cig in the ashtray for a couple minutes.

There is a caveat though - the longer one stays away from the real thing, the more your taste buds and sense of smell return to normal (or so I've read anyway), so what might taste bad right off might taste good after a while, and what might taste good right off may not after time. Theres also something called steeping, with the e-juice, which (again this is what I read) has to do with the ejuice becoming completely mixed. I still don't have a good enough understanding of it to put it into my own words, but did read that the term is the same as used when discussing tea. I'm not a tea drinker so the term and its real world meaning are new to me.

43. I tried e-cigarettes and they just did not do the trick. n/t

112. With any smoke cessation tool, you have to WANT to quit.

First and foremost. Or it's all a waste of time.

I became motivated when I literally couldn't breathe anymore. I had tried e-cigs previously and tossed them in the drawer when they weren't a perfect substitute for the smoke I craved. Later, after nearly hacking my lungs out and unable to catch my breath, I finally said enough. I told myself I was going to smoke those damned e-cigs whether I liked them or not. That was 3.5 years and probably $15k of un-bought cigs ago.

51. I've tried e-cigs

But no luck for me. My nephew used Chantix and quit in 5 days. I'm afraid of trying Chantix for fear of losing the want to smoke pot. Chantix is expensive I've heard. About $180.00 , but in the long run, that is about one months of smoking.

90. Here's what I did to keep track of my ecig

The starter kits at the link above come with a small case (about the size of a cigarette pack). By using the case, it made perfect sense to put the ecig back in the case when I was done. Much harder to lose and keeps mine safely out of liquids they aren't supposed to be in. LOL

53. Good luck!

54. While just about anything is better than sucking hot smoke

into your lungs, the e-cigs are still delivering nicotine and shutting your arteries down. One real advantage is that most people gradually wean down the amount of the drug since e-cigs don't have people compulsively smoking down to the butt, long after the nicotine craving has been satisfied. That's one way they allow people to quit, by weaning them down without their realizing it.

I also know that some people have tried everything, over and over again, and can't seem to quit. For those folks, a tiny minority of smokers, the e-cigs are probably the best improvement they can get.

In addition, if you manage to wean completely off nicotine, the e-cigs come with non nicotine cartridges so that you can "habit smoke" fairly harmlessly, like with that cuppa in the morning or on the phone.

72. Can You Direct Me To...

...the best brand of e-smokes out there? I have tried one brand and was not that impressed. I think that the vaporizer was broken or something. I really need to find an alternative. Do you have any suggestions. Reading some of the success stories here makes me want to give e-smokes another shot.

79. Been away for a bit today...(sort of an update)

Been away a bit since my last post, raiding mmo style, an activity during which I usually smoke like a chimney.

Made it through a few hours raiding, and the cravings are still under control, although my SO is having a little bit of a hard time with it. Shes not vaping enough I think. It is habbit with an analog cig, to smoke it while its lit and burning, and you sort of treat it, by habit, like the clock is ticking - again, because its burning. She has been taking a puff and setting it down, and not metering it to herself like one would, by habit, with an analog.

So it would appear there is some behavior modification that goes with using them, at least when you first start.

Thank you everyone for the good wishes also, smoking is not an easy habit to break, at least in our case.

85. It probably won't take long for her to learn

to "dose" herself adequately. There's no need whatsoever to feel deprived. If she's feeling cravings, see if she'll take two or three drags when she picks it up, instead of just the one. Then it will be more like the dose she'd get if she were smoking. At this stage, it's better not to wait until you "need" a hit to take one. It's better to prevent the cravings altogether.

92. Good job!

Just keep going. You'll be really happy you did.

I, too, tried to quit every which way and failed every time. Of course, I had a saboteur (my deceased husband) who would smoke in front of me making it harder. He just refused to quit and it eventually killed him (2nd heart attack).

Tell your wife to keep the ecig close at all times (don't you love you don't have to search for an ashtray to put it down - into the pocket it goes!) and use it a LOT. Also, try a milder nicotine vapor for her - the 24 mg were just way too much for me at first, so I went with the 11mg to start with. And, I was a 3 pack a day smoker.

Just a hint....keep a spare kit in the car. You'll find you're going somewhere and your battery dies. If you have a backup in the car, you won't be tempted to run to the store for a pack of cigarettes. Even if you have a car charger, you're out of ecigs while it charges.

80. I used NRT for years before I quit all nicotine

almost like I switched one habit for another (better for my health but bad for the finances)....try to remember this vaping is a TEMPORARY thing and that the goal is to get of nicotine completely......vape away but remember the ultimate goal is N.O.P.E. (NOT ONE PUFF EVER).....GOOD LUCK!

97. Because of your post, I just ordered a starter kit from Halo

will you reimburse me if I hate it?

I've been battling bronchitis (first time ever) for over a month now, I'm hoping that e-cigs will help. I've been smoking close to 30 some odd years and at 41 (almost 42) it's time to start the process of quitting. I recently tried the gum and it made me sick to my stomach, so I'm hoping I have a better experience with this.

98. Good for you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

January 9 will be my one year mark (after 33 years of smoking). Husband switched Feb. 1.
I enjoy them very much. It took some getting used to, the physical habits were different, i.e. no tapping the ash off, no lighting.
We went through a couple of models before settling on one (Joytech 510T). It is fun experimenting with different flavors.
My niece (31) tried them in July and is doing great. I am calling my nephew today, he started trying them about a week ago, to see how he is doing.
I have no plans on stopping them. I enjoy them. The taste, the feel of the nicotine. Once we got past the experimental stage we have noticed a big difference in the investment.
I saved the last cig out of my last pack. It is sitting out in the garage where I used to spend all my time smoking. Now I can vape inside and around my grand kids. I can breathe so much better. The other day I "raced" with my grand kids up the hill to my house and, from habit, I stood there waiting to catch my breath, and it was so funny to realize I was breathing normally!
After a few months I started noticing I could smell cig smoke on other people. Yuck. I am glad I will never smell like that again.
I wish you much pleasure and success!

114. With the G6 I went with a blue colored starter kit.

When you push the button on the manual unit or vape from the automatic, the end of it has a blue led instead of red like many of them have. Its very soft light, not something that glows like rudolphs nose lol, and I prefer that.

I started out with large (30ml) bottles of prime 15 flavor, and torque56 flavor, and I started out with the 24 mg/ml which is the maximum strength. Right now, I'm vaping torque 56 and I like it thus far. I have tried prime 15 but it wasn't pleasant to me, though I'm giving it a chance to steep for a few days and try it again after before I close the book on it.

My thinking was thus:

I was a very heavy smoker. about a pack and a half a day, but I took BIG drags when smoking. I want as little "difference" in the transition as possible, with the aim being a successful transition.

Once I feel like we've made the successful transition, We are going to branch out to other flavors and lower ni9c content.

120. I tried the Premium

e-cig and there is a terrible chemical after-taste. How about the G6? Do you notice that? Does it use vegetable glycerin or propylene glycol? Premium uses propylene glycol and I'm wondering if that is the after taste.

122. The mix of PG/VG...

The juice I'm vaping now is PG based, but I'm not getting much after taste using the G6 with torque 56, and what little I do get I couldn't describe in any significant way.

There are many many juices based on both "bases", I would guess its just a matter of trial and like or dislike, where the juices are concerned. One thing about them, is that it seems like...for any given juice, that they tast the same to between 30 and 50 percent of those that try them, and the remainder of those that tried them, all have a unique and individual sense as to what they taste like.

123. The atomizer will do that until it is "cured"

Sorry, don't know how to describe it, but some atomizers give off a bad taste until they are used for a day or so.

It may also be your juice. Maybe try a small order from a different supplier? www.puresmoker.com has awesome juices and they are USA made near them in Nashville - not imported from China and resold (with God knows what in them).

125. I've had it for over a year and it still does it.

127. A success story:

I smoked for the better part of 15 years; I work outdoor labor (landscape construction industry) so a good portion of those years were the better part of a pack and a half a day habit. An expensive one at that...

Last February, I went to the hospital late in the evening with shortness of breath, blurred vision, pain radiating from my shoulder into my elbow and fingertips; I thought I was having a heart attack. At 32. I was scared shitless.

I had tried the 'New Year's Resolution" to quit, the birthday quit, the sick quit, every quit there was in the book. I even tried the Chantix quit, twice.

The first Chantix quit was great, it was everything it claimed to be; so great that one fateful night two months into the program, I had a moment of weakness and the walls came crashing down. I was so devestated.

So in the months following, I took to an e-ciggarette to help combat the amount of awful inhalation of smoke that I was putting my body through. It seemed to help, however the Feburary I mentioned earlier came to pass and I knew it was my time.

I took the script for the Chantix, and with the help of an e-cig the first two weeks; never looked back again.

That was ELEVEN MONTHS AGO this upcomming Friday...

I know that all the "if I can do it, you can do it's" in the world aren't going to help you in your own personal quit, that's even if you are ready to quit. Your OP doesn't particularly mention quitting, just looking for 'healthier' options to traditional smoking.

Just a bit of anecdotal evidence that an e-cig can be utilized as a crutch in an attempt to quit smoking...

Best of luck to your decision to make improvements to your own personal health!

133. Its been a week now, give or take.

After three days, I decided to try an analog cig just to compare. All I can say is it tasted terrible - there will be no going back. So yeah, 1 analog in the first week, not because I really wanted to per se, just to compare the nicotine and taste etc.

I did have an issue with a couple batteries going bad, so after some research, bought another starter kit, but this one is very different from the kr808 style cig type batteries. Its called the elite, and its a compltely different animal:

Also I bought some tank style carts, and I absolutely LOVE them:

Between that particular device and the carts, I feel like I'm getting exactly what I was looking for now, in terms of "throat hit" and vapor production, where I just wasn't with the smaller batteries and smaller carts.

Where that leaves me right now is here:

I'm comfortable with the device and the e-liquid I'm using, and its meeting my needs in terms of both nicotine level , and in terms of a satisfying throat hit. But...

Both my SO and I are looking at new and different flavors, and especially at mixxing our own at some point, and we are looking at an outfit called viking vapors . com for some really inexpensive juices. They are very inexpensive and american made. The halo torque56 I'm vaping now, is 20 dollars US for a 30 mg bottle, while vikings juices are around ten dollars for a 30 ml bottle. Not only that, but you can order vikings juices with double flavor strength, and also order unflavored juice to mix. The hard part, is ordering e-juice that you've never tried, but reading others reviews - in spite of things tasting ddifferent to different people - does help a bit.

Already I sleep and breath much better at night, and I just feel better in general, than I have for a very very long time. The SO and I are both very glad we made the switch, though she still struggles a bit more than I do - she ordered lower nicotine content e-liquid than I did, plus she was never a deep inhaler was a smoker, where I was. I figured I'd write another OP after a month or so has gone by...sort of an informative post of the things we've learned, and a little on our progress, what to expect from a few given devices/juices etc, as a sort of informational post for those that are thinking about making the switch.

Overall, its been an interesting and worthwhile journey thus far, starting with mistic brand, moving up to halo, and then moving to the elite from cigeasy.As of right now, I would STRONGLY recommend people to make the switch if you're thinking about it, but really do your homework about devices and e-juice.

135. I need to quit for many reasons. Can someone recommend the best e-cig for me?

I smoke only at night and sometimes on the weekends and I smoke Marlboro Ultra Light Menthols. I don't have any desire during the day but at night I can't give it up and I need to.

The board of trustees in my building have just outlawed smoking anywhere on the premises and if I don't quit I could lose my apartment, so it's serious for me.

Also, I have just seen a cardiologist for hormonally related HBP and she wants me to quit for health reasons. I really want to, and I am not that addicted to nicotine, just the action of smoking. Can anyone give me any advice? It would be most appreciated.

You can send a private message if you would like. Thanks in advance for helping me quit!